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Topic: Thoughts on forum rpgs (Read 4553 times)

I think I take a different approach to Forum Roleplaying game here and I wanted to see if anyone else agreed with it. So far it seems like people make up some setting for a game as a one time use. But why not start one with the intention of developing an world for many people to play in different forums instead of a one time shot.

Like in RPG Dreamers a person is running a Forum Rpg set in the future where magic returns in the form of orbs that give the user certian magic powers. The Gm then lists about 8 or so orbs a person can use if they choose not to make up thier own orbs. Tow poeple can not have the same orb. Maybe I am misunderstanding here but this seems to be just a one time shot sort of thing. Sure maybe they will do a sequel if someone requests it but more or less it is a one time play and limited to RPG dreames.

Why not make a text file and list all the orbs made by ro approved of the crator, then list cities, geography and so on of the world of the RPG. Put enough information for others to run a game in that setting while putting a rule that only the creator can add to the offcial version of the game. Allow other people, in different forums to play a game in that setting or world. All they have to do have the text file emailed or downloaded and then they can run a compaign of that game. Any questions please ask. I will be posting more to go into more detail. I think ill go to sleep nowI look forward to your response.

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Graduated from GUE Tech in Zork the Great Underground Empire. Currently live in Port Fozzel. Mess with me and you will be totemized.

There are a few places like that, I think http://www.outlanda.com/ is one specifically. (Nice people there and the webmaster is super).

Why are there so many single throw away worlds?

This will be from my personal twisted point of view:Frankly, I don't have the time or motivation to delve too far into other peoples worlds. There are many creative people playing forum games (as is consistantly proven here) and they have their own ideas. The games I would look for are what is here, totally freeform. Really, there is no world except that created by the players as they play. Each one is trusted when they add a new portion of the world and in almost every case the other run with it. That is the beauty of freeform. There is no DM, just interaction (somebody usually takes the lead to get a plot going). The settings are not made up for a one time use, per se, but interactively created as the play unfolds.

When you have a structured world, then comes rules, then comes having to follow them. Some people like it, actually I am sure there are plenty of people that love to delve into other worlds totally created by others. I am not really one of them. I have created my own world and ran a PBeM for a few years, and although I had my own magic system, and land created, nothing was concrete. The map is one thing that could be useful if only to help direct events better and have a solid picture, but everything else was read once, get the general idea, and run with it. The magic was simply based on elements and a quantity of sand, that was about the extent of the rules on that. You cast magic, power of it decided how much sand you used. Out of sand = out of magic = go find more. I think this is more how you are aiming at anyway, basic world idea, which is a good thing in my mind. Give a general idea and let the players run with it, that is what I say. I could handle playing that. Get too detailed it takes away from the game I think.

I agree with you strolen in that when you have a structured rules thier comes rules. That can be good or bad. Depends on whether the rules hinder or encourage RPing. I am making sure that I gave just general ideas in my game. As far as rules go. At first I had Hp and Mp and stats. But upon lloking at other Forum RPGs and trying to test it I screaped thost rules.

My attention for this is to allow the player to use the same character sheet and leanr or create new abilities that can be used in the game. I did want to see if one minor rule for learning skills wourl work. I think I might just scrap it.The rules was that when learning a new skill Roll A D 61-3 Leanring Penalty for three uses4-5 Leanring penalty for two uses6 no leanring penalty.I figure that when you any new ability your first few times doing it you will make mistakes, or take a slower time doing it. That is a leanring penality. For three or tow uses the player needs to put that it didnt work right, something went, wrong, or however else they interpret the Learning Penalty.

I am afraid that this rules will take away from RPing rather than add to it.

What is your Opinion?

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Graduated from GUE Tech in Zork the Great Underground Empire. Currently live in Port Fozzel. Mess with me and you will be totemized.

Really. I ind of thought I twould be a little easier. Mp being a numberic representation of the persons magical power which is depleted as they cast. What is so compicated about that?It is just a little more complicated than just haivng it cast perday. I am mostly a Videogame RPG Player as opposed to a Pen and Paper RPG PlayerWould any of you be willing to try using Mp in a Pen and Paper RPG.

I am sort of making my own rules for playing a Pen and Paper RPG.Still working on a forum RPG too. Just sort of ran out of questions to ask. Guess I didnt have as many as I thought I did.

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Graduated from GUE Tech in Zork the Great Underground Empire. Currently live in Port Fozzel. Mess with me and you will be totemized.

I've never tried it, but I suppose (as Sniperspy says) it would culminate in having lots of sheets of paper with crossed-off numbers written on. I know players who keep track of HP on their character record sheets end up running out of space, so trying to keep two different numbers updated would result in twice the mess.

ephe!

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"Happy is the tomb where no wizard hath lain, and happy the town at night whose wizards are all ashes" - H P Lovecraft, The Festival

Barbarian Horde

yeah you are right. Well I have found after a bit of research that I am just going to scrap My forum RPG for the time being.

I might work on it when i get a website of my own. I am working on a Pen and Paper RPG I call Wolrds With No End that I wish to publish int he future. Anyhow since no one else seems to be replaying to this topic it might as well be closed and taken away. Ill try to post more too. I have been really busy lately.

While I agree with the general feel for this thread, I just have to say that magic point systems work really well and seldom take up much in the way of book keeping.

RuneQuest (and all of Basic Roleplaying) uses magic points for all their games. They work really well. If you don't believe me, use some magic in Call of Cthullu... is is the same system.

Gurps uses fatigue/ magic points as well. It is just a tally on the character sheet. Are you telling me gamers can't keep track of one additional talley besides hit points?

Hero usually uses fatigue but it all depends on what the GM wants to set up. A magic point system, using an end battery, is perfectly functional. Again it is just a tally system.

There are six or so others, but those I have previously listed are just as well known as DnD. RuneQuest is a year younger than DnD. Hero, Gurps, and such are all older than our new D20 DnD.

And don't you all use yellow stickies for your various hits/ wounds/ stun/ etc counts?. Why should anyone actually write on their character sheets. (Actually I use a super sheet anyways, so I have my record with me).

What is a supersheet you might ask? In short: keep your character sheet and notes in a clear plastic sheet protector. Insert a thin cardboard sheet (a board backer) there as well. This set up protects your character sheet from wear and tear, gives you an easy to hold sheet, and gives you a storage place for all things related to your character (cue cards, notes, equipment lists). The extra things are slipped in behind the cardboard backer. You can even face an important sheet against the backside, so you can use it as well. If you need to change something pull the sheet out. If you need to mark damage, use a water based marker on the plastic or a sticky note. The character sheet will remain pristine for quite a while when using a super sheet.

While I agree with the general feel for this thread, I just have to say that magic point systems work really well and seldom take up much in the way of book keeping.

RuneQuest (and all of Basic Roleplaying) uses magic points for all their games. They work really well. If you don't believe me, use some magic in Call of Cthullu... is is the same system.

Gurps uses fatigue/ magic points as well. It is just a tally on the character sheet. Are you telling me gamers can't keep track of one additional talley besides hit points?

Hero usually uses fatigue but it all depends on what the GM wants to set up. A magic point system, using an end battery, is perfectly functional. Again it is just a tally system.

There are six or so others, but those I have previously listed are just as well known as DnD. RuneQuest is a year younger than DnD. Hero, Gurps, and such are all older than our new D20 DnD.

And don't you all use yellow stickies for your various hits/ wounds/ stun/ etc counts?. Why should anyone actually write on their character sheets. (Actually I use a super sheet anyways, so I have my record with me).

What is a supersheet you might ask? In short: keep your character sheet and notes in a clear plastic sheet protector. Insert a thin cardboard sheet (a board backer) there as well. This set up protects your character sheet from wear and tear, gives you an easy to hold sheet, and gives you a storage place for all things related to your character (cue cards, notes, equipment lists). The extra things are slipped in behind the cardboard backer. You can even face an important sheet against the backside, so you can use it as well. If you need to change something pull the sheet out. If you need to mark damage, use a water based marker on the plastic or a sticky note. The character sheet will remain pristine for quite a while when using a super sheet.

I agree wholeheartedly! You can even use scotch magic tape on the supersheet, and it will allow you to make pencil notes on the OUTSIDE of the plastic. When the tape is worn, replace it with a new piece of tape. (An additional method to the water based marker and the sticky note)

As a GM I keep the players bloodloss, mana/MP as well as sanity points on a colour coded sheet which also contain those skills I roll for them (because their roleplaying is impaired if they know the success ratio of their dice roll). This is a system my groups feel works out fine. It means more work for the GM, but that is fine with me.

Just to clarify: At tabletop sessions I roll such things as: Listen rolls, Hide rolls, etc...

Why? Okay let me give you an example:Johnny's character, the orc shaman G'kruumsh, listens at the door of his rival, the Goblin Witch King Fahnrog. His player rolls a 100, a fumble, and believes he hears rummaging behind the door. Now, Johnny might be a good player, in which case he acts upon what his character knows. He might also be a bad player in which case he'll say "To hell with it. I fumbled. I try to listen one more time"... (I have experienced the last example a zillion times).

If the player doesn't know whether he successfully rolled his listen roll, doesn't know whether he is completely hidden behind that tree, etc. The player is going to act much, much better and the excitement will stay in the group even after the dice roll.